Cable television systems, satellite television systems, and over the air television systems can use set-top boxes (STB) as an information appliance device to allow a user to access digital content from a digital content provider. Set-top boxes and their related equivalents such as set-top units (STU), Gateways, or digital transport adapters (DTA) can contain an input stage, tuner, digital signal decoding or other digital signal processing modules and can output selected digital content to a display such as a television monitor. Other services such as telephone service may also be accommodated in a gateway or STB.
The input signal source to a STB might be an Ethernet cable, a satellite dish, a coaxial cable, a telephone line, broadband over power lines (BPL), or even an ordinary VHF or UHF antenna. Digital content, in this context, could mean any or all of video, audio, Internet web pages, interactive video games, or other possibilities. Set-top boxes generally require a set-up or an activation with a content provider to allow a user access to the various forms of services and digital content.
Activation of a set-top box has historically involved the use of telephone calls to the content or subscription provider to ensure that the user is entitled to receive the services or digital content. This telephone activation can be slow and frustrating in establishing a new account or renewing a account in a different location if the STB is moved. A more user-friendly method for STB activation is desirable.